This application claims foreign priority benefits of Singapore Application No. 200105173-9 filed on Aug. 24, 2001.
The present invention generally relates to devices and methods for cutting microelectronic devices, such as in dicing semiconductor wafers into individual dies.
An individual microelectronic component or die is usually formed from a larger substrate, typically a semiconductor wafer. Wafers most commonly are formed primarily from silicon, although other materials such as gallium arsenide and indium phosphide are also sometimes used. Semiconductor wafers have a plurality of dies arranged in rows and columns. Typically, the wafer is sawed or xe2x80x9cdicedxe2x80x9d into discrete dies by cutting the wafer along mutually perpendicular sets of parallel lines or xe2x80x9cstreetsxe2x80x9d lying between the rows and columns.
In a typical dicing operation, a semiconductor wafer is attached to a carrier, such as by use of an adhesive, and the carrier is mounted on a table of wafer saw. The wafer saw includes a rotating dicing blade which is attached to a rotating spindle. The dicing blade has a peripheral cutting edge which may be coated with diamond particles or other abrasives to assist in cutting the semiconductor wafer. As the blade of the wafer saw is rotated, it cuts at least partially through the thickness of the wafer and is carefully guided along the streets between adjacent dies. The blade may be guided along these streets by moving the blade relative to the wafer, by moving the table of and the wafer relative to the blade, or by moving both the table and the blade.
If a blade is not precisely mounted on the spindle, the peripheral edge of the rotating blade can trace an irregular path with respect to the axis of rotation of the spindle. Commonly, a blade will be mounted with a flat blade surface clamped flush against a flat surface of a mounting hub carried by the spindle. If the blade is not properly clamped against the hub, any play in the attachment of the blade to the spindle may cause the peripheral cutting edge of the blade to oscillate or waver irregularly. Sometimes a foreign particle can become wedged between the mounting hub and the face of the blade or the mounting hub or the blade may have a burr on its surface. Such a foreign particle or burr can cause the blade to be mounted at an angle. As the shaft is rotated, the path scribed by the peripheral cutting edge of the blade will wobble.
Wavering of the blade as the shaft is rotated can cause the blade to deviate outside the intended street on the wafer, damaging dies on one or both sides of the street. Semiconductor wafers also tend to be somewhat brittle. A wavering blade can cause chipping of the surface of the wafer, damaging dies adjacent to the street even if the blade stays within the proscribed width of the street.
The difficulties associated with properly mounting dicing blades is increasing as the semiconductor industry moves toward dual-blade wafer saws. There are two varieties of dual-blade wafer saws on the market todayxe2x80x94dual spindle saws (with parallel, side-by-side spindles) and twin spindle saws (with opposed, axially aligned spindles). One such twin spindle wafer saw is shown in FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,739, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. Typically, such twin spindle dual-blade wafer saws simultaneously cut the surface of the semiconductor wafer along parallel lines using a pair of parallel dicing blades. The two blades typically have the same diameter and are rotated about a common rotation axis so they will cut the wafer to the same depth. With commercially available dual-blade wafer saws, the operator""s access to the area where the blades are mounted is somewhat limited. It is often difficult for the operator to view the blades edge-on and the operator frequently must mount blades looking along or parallel to the axis of rotation. This makes it difficult for the operator to see the mounting hubs to which the blades are being attached, leading to errors in mounting the blades. In addition, it is difficult to visually confirm that both blades are properly mounted. A highly-skilled, experienced operator can sometimes observe unacceptable wobbling of a cutting blade by watching the blade as it rotates. This visual observation is made more difficult if the operator is only able to watch a face of the blade instead of the edge of the blade. In dual-blade saws, an operator""s view of the front blade is largely limited to watching the face of the rotating blade and view of the rear blade is usually greatly hindered, if not completely blocked, by superimposition of the front blade between the operator and the rear blade.
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods useful in cutting a semiconductor substrate, e.g., a semiconductor wafer, and semiconductor wafer saws. One embodiment of the invention provides a method for cutting a semiconductor substrate wherein the semiconductor substrate is positioned with respect to a blade of a saw. The blade is rotated in a first spaced position wherein a peripheral cutting edge of the blade is spaced from the semiconductor substrate. A distance to a face of the blade is measured as the blade is rotated in the first spaced position. A first variance in the measured distance is determined as the blade is rotated. If the first variance is no greater than a predetermined maximum variance, the semiconductor substrate is contacted with the peripheral cutting edge of the blade. The blade may be translated with respect to the semiconductor substrate to cut at least partially through the semiconductor substrate. If so desired, the method may further include terminating rotation of the blade if the first variance is greater than the predetermined maximum variance. One adaptation of this embodiment includes positioning the blade in a second spaced position after cutting the semiconductor substrate. The peripheral cutting edge of the blade is spaced from the substrate when the blade is in the second spaced position. The blade is rotated in the second spaced position without cutting the semiconductor substrate, the distance to the face of the blade is measured as the blade is rotated in the second spaced position, and a second variance is determined.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a method of operating a semiconductor substrate saw which includes rotating a blade of the saw without contacting the blade with a flow of liquid. A distance to a face of the blade is monitored as the blade rotates. A first baseline distance to the face of the blade and a first deviation from the baseline distance are determined. An error is indicated if the first deviation is greater than a predetermined maximum deviation. Only if the error is not indicated, a first cut at least partially through a semiconductor substrate is made with the blade while contacting the blade with a flow of liquid, such as a cooling liquid.
A method of exchanging a blade of a semiconductor substrate saw is provided in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In this method, a used blade is removed from a blade mount carried on a shaft of the saw. A new blade is mounted on the blade mount and the new blade is rotated prior to contacting a semiconductor substrate with the new blade. Prior to contacting the semiconductor substrate with the new blade, a distance to a face of the new blade is monitored as the blade rotates, a baseline distance to the face of the blade and a deviation from the baseline distance are determined, and an error is indicated if the deviation exceeds a predetermined maximum deviation. Only if the error is not indicated, a cut is made at least partially through the semiconductor substrate with the blade.
Another embodiment provides a method of exchanging a blade of a multiple-blade saw which includes a used first blade and a second blade, which may also be a used blade. The used first blade is carried on a first shaft for rotation with the first shaft and the second blade is carried on a second shaft for rotation with the second shaft. The used first blade is removed from the first blade mount and a new first blade is mounted on the first blade mount. The new first blade is rotated in a first position and a distance from a first sensor to a face of the new first blade is monitored as the new first blade rotates in the first position. The first sensor is associated with the second shaft. An indication is made whether a first variance in the monitored distance as the new first blade is rotated exceeds a predetermined maximum first variance. If the first variance is not greater than the maximum first variance, a semiconductor substrate may be contacted with the new first blade and with the second blade. This method may further comprise moving the second shaft and the first sensor laterally with respect to the first shaft, thereby changing the distance from the first sensor to the face of the new first blade.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a semiconductor wafer saw. The saw includes a carrier for a microelectronic workpiece and a driver. A first shaft is coupled to the driver and extends opposite the carrier. The first shaft has a first axis. A first blade mount is carried adjacent an end of the shaft for rotation with the first shaft and a first blade is carried by the first blade mount for rotation with the first blade mount. The first blade has a face and peripheral cutting edge. A sensor is spaced from the first blade and is oriented toward the face of the first blade. The sensor maintains a fixed angular position with respect to the first axis as the first blade is rotated with the shaft and is adapted to measure a distance to the face of the first blade. A processor is operatively coupled to the sensor. The processor is adapted to indicate if the distance to the face of the first blade deviates more than a predetermined permitted deviation from a baseline distance to the face of the first blade as the blade rotates.
Yet another embodiment of the invention provides an alternative semiconductor wafer saw which includes multiple blades. In particular, this wafer saw includes a carrier for a microelectronic workpiece. A first spindle extends opposite the carrier and has a first axis. A first blade is carried by the first spindle for rotation therewith and the first blade has a face and a peripheral cutting edge. A second spindle extends opposite the carrier and has a second axis. A second blade is carried by the second spindle for rotation therewith and the second blade has a face and a peripheral cutting edge. A first sensor is carried by the second spindle and adapted to measured a first distance to the face of the first blade. The first sensor maintains a fixed angular position with respect to the first axis as the first blade rotates about the first axis. A second sensor is carried by the first spindle and is adapted to measure a second distance to the face of the second blade. The second sensor maintains a fixed angular position with respect to the second axis as the second blade rotates about the second axis. A processor is operatively coupled to the first and second sensors. The processor is adapted to indicate if variation of the first distance as the first blade rotates exceeds a predetermined maximum first variation and to indicate if variation of the second distance as the second blade rotates exceed a predetermined maximum second variation.